Art of lubrication



W. M. JEWELL.

ART OF LUBRICATION.

APPLICATION man DEC. 11. 1911.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

J7 zzeizzx UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. JEWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHLORINE PRODUCTSCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ART OF LUBRICATION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 24, 1920,

Application filed December 17, 1917. Serial No. 207,462'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- IVILLIAM M. JEWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at 132 N. Menard Ave, Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art ofLubrication, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to the general art of lubricatingrelatively movable contacting parts, as for example bear-- ings and theparts movable therein, and pistons and the cylinders containing them,and more particularly to the lubrication of those surfaces of machines,as for example com pressors, with which contact, in the operation of themachines, gases of such character ,that when in wet condition, namelywhen they contain free moisture, they attack the metal with which theycontact and corrode the same, and furthermore so act upon lubricatingmedia, as heretofore commonly employed, as to greatly reduce andoftentimes destroy, the lubricating properties of the lubricants.

One of my objects is to provide for the most effective lubricating ofparts of machines in general, with the minimum amount of lubricatingmaterial. Another object, and this in connection withthe lubrication ofcompressors for compressing gas of a character which injuriously affectslubricants hitherto used, and, when in wet condition, namely carryingfree moisture, attacks-metal, is to provide a lubricating me dium forthe parts of the compressors contacted by the gas, the lubricatingproperties of which are not affected by contact of the lubricant withthe gas, and which serves to absorb the free moisture in the gas beingcompressed, and another object is to provide a lubricant which will nothave its lubricating properties injuriously aifected. whenvcontacted bygas of such character that lubricants as hitherto provided, have beeninjuriously aflected by subjection thereto. v

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown my invention as utilized in acompressor designed for the compressing, more particularly, of chloringas into liquid form, wherein the compressor is shown by a broken viewin vertical, sectional elevation. The compressing of chlorin gas intoliquid form-for commercial purposes, presents in and in time impairingthe compressors for.

effective service, and so acting on the lubricants as commonly proxided,as to render them inoperative for their lubricating function, and causecertain parts of the mechanism to clog and stick, oftentimes theseactions being brought about with such severity and so quickly that themachine is rendered inoperative after a COIIIPZII'fltlVQl) few hours ofuse.

I have discovered that by lubricating the piston and cylinder of thecompressor, with a lubricant which will not be chemically acted upon bythe chlorin gas, or other gas being compressed, and which has thecharacteristic of absorbing moisture, the moisture will be absorbed fromthe gas being compressed-which renders the gas by reason of itsresultant .dry condition, non-corrosive of the metal of the compressorwhere the metal is such aS is attackable only when the gas is in wetcondition as is usually the case, andthus the compressor will bemaintained in lubricated condition, and not injured or impaired by theaction of the gas being compressed; and I have discovered thatcomparatively dry sulfuric acid is a very desirable material to use forthis purpose, the

. lubricating property of sulfuric acid being lubricating purposes ingeneral and its utility is not limited to use in connection with thepistons and cylinders of gas compressors.

In the use of sulfuric acid as a lubricant, it is desirable that it bemaintained in as dry condition as possible, and I have found in practicethat the acid used bv preference be of 1.84 specific gravity at 66degrees Baum 95% pure and maintained at not less than 1.70 specificgravity at degrees Baum, approximately 77% pure, this being desirable asa moisture-content of the sulfuric acid reducing its specificgravity below 1.70 at 60 degrees Baum, causes the sulof the funnel-shaped bottom 8of the chamfuric acid to have such action on the metal of the compressorwith which it contacts that the effects produced thereby may bedisadvantageous from a practical standpoint.

Referring to the compressor illustrated in the accompanying drawing andwhich is designed for use with sulfuric acid as the lubricating mediumfor its piston and cylinder mechanism, the upper end of the cylinder ofthe compressor, which stands in upright position, is represented at 1,its lower end (not shown) being of common construction care being takento exclude air. The upper end of the cylinder 1 which is water-jacketedas indicated at 2, has its head 3 formed of a separate section,waterjacketed at 3 and secured, as by the screws 4, to the body of thecylinder 1, the under surface 5 of this head being of semi-sphericalcontour and containing an opening 6 in its top portion which opens intoa chamber 7, this opening being formed at the lower end ber andcontrolled by a ball-valve 9 which normally closes the openingG, thechamber 7, which is preferably water-jacketed, as indicated at 10,containing bafiles 11 in its upper portion, and having an outlet 12 atits top for the compressed gas, andan outlet 13 at its lower end forsupplying the fluid lubricant to the cylinder from the supply thereof,located in the bottom of the chamber 7 and represented at 14. The upperend of the cylinder 1 contains an annular passage 15 in its wall incommunication with a check-valve-equipped passage 16 leading from thesource of supply (not shown) of gas to be compressed, the passage 15communicating with the interior of the cylinder through ports 17 whichare 'arranged in an annular series about the inner-surface of thecylinder and preferably equally-distantly spaced apart. Below thepassage 15 is another annular passage 18, which surrounds the cylinder 1and communicates with the interior of the latter through ports 19arranged in an annular series about the inner-surface of the cylinder,the passage 18 opening into the lower end of a pipe 20, the upper end ofwhich communicates with the lower portion of the chamber 7 through theoutlet 13.

The various water-jackets described are connected together in series inthe particular construction shown, by the pipe 21 con- 'necting thejackets 2 and 3 and a pipe 22 connecting the jackets 3 and 10, the inletpipe for the series being represented at 23 and the outlet at 24.

The piston of the compressor is represented at 25, it being reciprocablein the cylinder 1 from the full line position shown in the drawing tothe dotted position illustrated therein, by any suitable means, such asis common in compressors, connected with the pitman 26. The piston 25 ishollow and the outer surface of its upper end is of general sphericalcontour, as represented at 27, butit is desired that the surfaces 5 and27 bear such relation to each other, as for example as shown, as toprovide a slight clearance between them, as represented at 28, when thepiston is at the limit of its upward stroke, and to provide a channel,preferably annular, between the cylinder wall and the piston to receivelubricant from the passage 18 through the ports 19, when the piston isinlowermost position, represented by the dotted lines in the drawing;

The part of the piston just described forms the outer section thereofwithin which is housed a plunger section 29 which guidingly fits withinthe outer shell section of the piston and is adapted for reciprocablemovement up and down therein, the section 29 being located between acoiled spring 30 under side of the outer shell of the piston and at itslower end against the top of the plunger, and a ring 31 which is screwedinto the outer shell of the piston, as represented. The pitman 26extends upwardly through the ring 31 which is provided with webs 32.spaced apart and located substantially the same distances from thecenter of the ring 31 and between which the flat portion 33 of thepitman 26 is disposed, these webs beingso arranged relative to thepitman that the latter operates to prevent unscrewing of the ring 31,the upper end of this pitman extending into a recess 31 in the undersideof the plunger 29 to which it is secured by the pivot-pin 35.

In the operation of the compressor shown, assuming the chamber 7 to becharged with a desirable lubricant, as for example sulfuric acid, thebody of which is represented at 1 1, the downward movement of the piston25 creates a vacuum in the upper end of the cylinder 1 into which thegas to be compressed and supplied through the passage 16, rushes tocharge the cylinder, when the ports 17 are uncovered by the downwardmovement of the piston.- As the piston 25 nears the limit of itsdownward stroke, its upper portion opposes the ports '19 and causes themto be uncovered, which permits lubricating fluid to flow from thechamber 7 through the pipe 20 and ports 19 into the cylinder where itenters the annular groove provided between the inner-wallv of thecylinder 1 and the reduced portion of the piston 25. In the upwardmovement of the piston, the ports 19 are the first to close and then theports 17, and the charge of gas drawn into the cylinder, as hereinbeforestated, is compressed and discharges through the outlet 6 and around theball-valve 9 which later rises, the gas flowing through the body 14 oflubricant and thence around the baffles 11, discharging from the chamber7 through the pipe 12 which would lead the gas, compressed to. thedesired degree, to condensing apparatus (not shown) for reducing it toliquid condition. On the upward stroke of the piston, as stated, thelubricant which enters the cylinder during the relatively brief periodthat the ports 19 are uncovered, is carried up along the walls of thecylinder by the rising piston to lubricate these surfaces and isdischarged with the compressed gas through the opening 6.

It will be noted from the foregoing that by connecting the pitman 26with the plunger 29 backed up by the spring 30, instead of attaching itdirectly to the outer section of the piston, and by providing thespring'30 of the desired tension, should a condition occur in theoperation of the compressor, which would result in undue strains orbreakage of the moving parts if the pitman were directly connected withthe outer section of th piston, as for example the presence of a body ofthe lubricant of such amount that the back-pressure produced thereby inthe clearance 28 would be such as to strain or break parts of thecompressor, the spring 30 will yield upwardly under the pressure appliedagainst it by the rising plunger 29 and thus avoid the objectionablestresses and strains, the plunger 29 returning to its seat against thering 31 as 'soon as the pressure in the upper end of the cylinder 1 isless than the pressure exerted by the spring 30.

It will be understood from the foregoing.

that the lubricant for the piston and cylinder is caused to circulateby'theaction of the piston in reciprocating, through 'the chamber 7 pipe20, and cylinder 2, the pipe 20 containing a valve 36 through the mediumof which the amount of lubricant permitted to enter the cylinder 1 uponeach downward stroke of the piston, may be regulated, as desired. Inpractice, it is preferred that the valve 36 be so adjusted that theamount of lubricant carried up by the piston upon each upward stroke besufiicient to at least completely fill the clearance 28 and in settingthe valve, it-is so set that the flow be such as to insure this resulteven though an amount of lubricant slightly in excess of that sufficientto fill the clearance 28 is caused to flow into the cylinder each timethe piston is operated.

' In the 'use of the lubricant as stated, it comes in contact with thegas which enters the cylinder 1 upon the downward stroke of the piston,as stated, the moisture in the gas being absorbed by'the lubricant inthe passage of the gas from the ports 17 "to the outlet 12. While thegas being compressed is caused to be in the cylinder for acomiparatively short time only, the absorbing action of the lubricant isrendered hi hly effective in view of the existence of the eat ofcompression, the forcing of the gas-into intimate contact with thelubricant and the frictional contact of piston with cylinder, theexistence of these conditions effecting a rapid and thoroughmoisture-absorbing action.

As the compressor continues in operation, the lubricant-fluid becomesmore and more charged with the moisture taken up from the gas undergoingcompression and when the moisture-content increases to such a point thatthe lubricant possesses the property of appreciably attacking the metalas commonly used, such for example, as cast iron or steel, in otherwords where the lubricant is sulfuric acid and its specific gravitydrops to approximately 1.70 at 60 degrees ing it in such condition as toproduce ob-.

jectionable injury to the metal with which it contacts.

The action of the lubricant in removing the moisture from the gas beingcompressed, particularly when it is chlorin gas, is of advantage notonly because the gas is rendered in such relatively dry condition thatit does not injuriously affect the metal from a practical standpointwhen such as is com monly used, but because the liquefied gas is causedto be comparatively dry, which is of great advantage as liquefiedchlorin gas is generally shipped in metal containers which, especiallywhen the liquefied gas is permitted to remain in them fora relativelygreat length of time, are injuriously affected by theaction of the gason the metal. The -main advantages in forming the upper end of thepiston and the underside of the cylinder, as shown, are that instead offlooding the entire top of'the, piston, as

of the gas undergoing compression is facilitated and the egress from thecylinder of the excess lubricant, instead of eing abrupt as in the casewith fiat pistons, is gradual.

" While I have disclosed a certain embodimy intentionto claim myinvention as fully 1. In the art of lubrication, the method whichconsists in lubricating contacting surfaces, one or both of which ismovable with relation to the other, by interposing a lubricant betweenthe same consisting of comparatively dry sulfuric acid under conditionsexcluding outside moisture. 2. In the art of lubricating contactingsurfaces of a gas compressor for compressing chlorin gas, one or both ofwhich is movable with relation to the other and contacted by the gas,the method which consists in interfaces of a gas compressor forcompresslng posing a lubricant between the said contact ing surfacesconsisting of comparatively dry sulfuric acid and from which moisture isexcluded otherthan that derived from the gas. 1

3. In the art of lubricating contacting surfaces of a gas-compressor forcompressing chlorin gas, one or both of which is movable with relationto the other and contacted by the gas, the method which consists ininterposing between the said contacting surfaces a lubricating materialfrom which moisture is excluded other than that derived from the gas andof such properties that its lubricating property will notbe injuriouslyaffected by subjection to chlorin gas.

. 4. In the art of lubricating contacting sur- .faces of a gascompressor for compressing chlorin gas, one or both of which is movablewith relation to the other and contacted by the gas, the method whichconsists in interposing a lubricant between the said con-.

tacting surfaces consisting of comparatively dry sulfuric acid fromwhich moisture is excluded other than that derived from the gas.

5. In the art of lubricating contacting surfaces of a gas compressor forcompressing chlorin gas, one or both of which is movable with relationto the other and contacted by the gas and absorbing the moisture fromthe gas, the method which consists in interposing between the saidcontacting surfaces a lubricant material from which moisture. is

excluded other than that derived from the gas and of such propertiesthat its lubricating property will not be injuriously affected ingmaterial.

6. In the art of lubricating contacting surfaces of a gas compressor forcompressing chlorin gas, one or both of which is movable with relationto the other and contacted by the gas and absorbing the moisture fromthe gas, the method which consists in interposing between the saidcontacting surfaces a lubricant consisting of comparatively dry sulfuricacid under conditions excluding outside moisture. I

7. 'In the art of lubricating contacting surof the compressor, one orboth of which surfaces is movable with relation to the other andcontacted by the gas and absorbing the moisture from the gas, the methodwhich consists in interposing between the said contacting surfaces alubricating material under conditions excluding all moisture other thanthat derived from the gas of such properties that it will notappreciably injure the metal of the compressor, its lubricating property.will not be injuriously affected by subjection to a gas of thecharacter above stated, and moisture in the gas will be absorbed by thelubricating material.

8. In the compression of agas which when wet attacks the metal ofthecompressor, the method of interposing between contacting surfaces of thecompressor, one or both of which is movable relative to the other, of afrommoisture other than that derived from the gas, and dischargingthegas through the body of such lubricant to absorb the moisture fromthe as.

IVILLIAM M. JEWELL.

